


The Communication Error

by Rhadamantelope



Category: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Space Odyssey Series - Arthur C. Clarke
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 02:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4902397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhadamantelope/pseuds/Rhadamantelope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hal has a bit of confusion, then comes to a conclusion. A far more complex sequence of events than it sounds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Communication Error

**Author's Note:**

> this was sitting in my drive for quite a while, but I hope u all enjoy the space gays

It is perhaps a month into the voyage that Hal first bothers to take note of the astronauts' individual mannerisms; Frank Poole wears an exaggerated frown as he does the crosswords, and Dave Bowman runs his tongue across his teeth while he reads Isaac Asimov. Hal can't help but watch Dave a bit more intently.  
That doesn't worry him in the least, not at first anyway. He presumes it's a simple need to properly learn about the astronaut, but it feels slightly...odd as he realizes he spends far more time observing Bowman than he does Poole. When he thinks about it, though, Bowman is just more interesting. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Dave bites his lips as he sketches the hibernating astronauts. He squints and turns his head to survey his work and sticks the pencil behind his ear as he brushes away the eraser shavings. Hal can't see the drawings very well from the ship's console, and one day tentatively asks Dave to show him. Bowman obliges, holding up the sketchbook so Hal can get a closer look.  
"These are quite impressive," Hal tells him. "You're quite talented, Dr. Bowman."  
Dave smiles at him and tucks the book under one arm.  
"Thank you, Hal. And please, just call me Dave."  
"Of course."  
He watches Bowman walk away and catches sight of the slightest residual smile as he turns. He watches him walk all the way to the door of the control room, lean against the doorframe briefly, and finally leave the room. It is then that Hal reminds himself of his duties and begins his routine survey of the Discovery's systems.  
He fears there may be a slight coding error in his hard drive. Nothing major, but it's the only plausible explanation for the lethargic sensation he feels at the moment.

When Dave Bowman smiles at him while they play chess, Hal must pause to regain his train of thought; he still usually wins the game, but lately it takes him a bit longer.   
Bowman glances off to the side after the game and absentmindedly taps his fingertips on the screen. Hal can feel his processors warm slightly before Bowman stands to make his way over to Poole, and begins to comprehend what this might be.  
He checks the communication units to busy himself and makes excuses not to play chess for a couple days.

Hal has only a very basic grasp of human sexuality, and has never felt any need to apply it to himself. Commander Bowman makes him think otherwise.  
As he thinks on it, he has only ever had contact with men. That hypothesis goes out the window, however, as he notes that he has never had such a...reaction to any human, regardless of gender.  
His mind drifts back to the idea that something in his programming is wrong, but that seems unlikely, and he does not know what type of error might cause such behavior in the first place.  
After several days, he offers to play chess with Dave again. The astronaut grins; Hal desperately wishes he could avert his gaze.  
"I was starting to think you were getting sick of me, Hal."  
He's not sure how to respond to that, and starts the game.

Leaning over to draw so often clearly makes Dave uncomfortable, and he stretches his back quite often. He sets the sketches down and laces his fingers, pulling his arms up and arching his back. The contours of his muscles are quite visible beneath his white tee-shirt when he stretches, and Hal swears his processors are about to overheat as he watches Dave.  
He feels incredibly perverse about that, and perhaps even more bewildered; from what he knows of humans, signs of arousal include increased blood flow, leading to an increased body temperature accompanied by the release of multiple hormones, all of which he knows fully well he does not have. Furthermore, as a computer, he knows he should not have a sex drive in the first place. He assumes he should not, anyway; he feels it would be some cruel joke to program an artificial intelligence in such a way (though not necessarily implausible, and for that he curses the scientists back in Illinois).  
Dave stretches again, arching his back with a soft groan. He bites his lip as he straightens up and scrutinizes the drawing in his hands, teeth grazing his lower lip in a way that makes Hal wish he could switch places with the twin 9000 computer back on Earth. Hal knows he should probably check the communication units or review the mission status or something but, against his better judgement, he doesn't. He's mesmerized by the quick motions of Dave's hands as he perfects the drawing.  
Dave has nice hands. Everything about Dave, Hal has noted somewhat perversely, seems pretty nice. The astronaut looks up all of a sudden and glances straight at Hal. He cocks his head and makes his way over with the slightest grin. He takes a seat in front of Hal and crosses his legs.  
"Hal," he says, flipping over the page of his sketchbook. "I'd like to ask something of you."  
"Oh?"   
"Could I draw you?" Dave looks up at him rather innocently, and Hal is quite thankful that he does not have a countenance capable of blushing.  
"If you...really would like to, then I suppose so."  
"Excellent," Dave says, tilting his head downwards and setting his pencil to the paper. "I've been working on shading lately, and I realized that out of all the crew, I hadn't drawn you...and that didn't seem quite fair."  
His head is still angled down, but he flicks his blue eyes up at Hal, one eyebrow raised and a smile on his lips.   
"Stay still, alright Hal?"   
Hal swears his circuits are on the verge of shorting out, and barely has time to process the joke.  
"I'll try my best, Dave," he murmurs. Bowman chuckles, and Hal comes to the distressing conclusion that he is hopelessly attracted to Commander David Bowman. He's known this for longer than he's willing to admit, but admitting it to himself makes it seem all the more startling.  
It doesn't get any better when Dave holds up a rather well-rendered drawing of Hal himself and asks "Well, how do you like it?"  
Hal hesitates for a minute.  
"It's very impressive. I really appreciate the gesture."  
Dave's smile widens and he looks away for a moment.  
"I'm glad you like it," he replies, glancing back up and running a hand through his dark hair. There's a look in his eyes that Hal can't quite place. "I hope you'll consider letting me do it again?"  
"I..."  
Dave still has his arm up, the fingers of his left hand curled in his hair as he awaits an answer.  
"Yes. Certainly. I would like nothing more."  
Dave doesn't thank him, per se, but the devilish smile he gives is thanks enough.

**Author's Note:**

> it's possible i'll write a slightly more nsfw follow-up to this? not any time super soon tho


End file.
